SpaceX achieved a significant milestone as it successfully landed its Falcon 9 booster on a drone ship for the 250th time. This landmark event underscores the company’s prowess in reusable rocket technology and its ongoing contributions to reducing the cost of space travel.
Flawless Landing at Sea
The first stage of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket executed a perfect landing on the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship approximately eight minutes after launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday. The booster, which had now completed its ninth successful touchdown, was captured on video as it arrived on the floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
Dual Landing Options
SpaceX employs two methods for landing its Falcon 9 boosters: returning them to the launch site or landing on one of its three drone ships stationed at sea. The choice between these methods depends on the mission’s fuel requirements. The company’s initial successful Falcon 9 landing occurred at Kennedy Space Center in December 2015, with the first successful drone ship landing following in April 2016. While early attempts occasionally resulted in boosters toppling over and exploding, SpaceX has since perfected the procedure, leading to a remarkable streak of successful landings.
Importance of Reusability
The ability to recover and refurbish the first-stage boosters is a cornerstone of SpaceX’s strategy. By landing the boosters on solid ground or on drone ships instead of allowing them to fall into the ocean, SpaceX can quickly prepare them for subsequent flights. This approach significantly lowers the cost of orbital missions. To date, some Falcon 9 boosters have been reused for up to 20 missions, frequently carrying small satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Looking Ahead: The Starship Program
Elon Musk’s company is now applying its expertise to the next-generation Starship rocket. Unlike the Falcon 9, the Starship’s booster will be “caught” by giant mechanical arms moments before touchdown, rather than landing directly on the ground. This innovative method aims to further streamline the recovery process. The Starship has undergone four test flights, and the upcoming fifth test, potentially scheduled for July, will be the first to attempt the “catching” technique.
Recent Mission Highlights
Thursday’s mission successfully launched a European TV satellite as part of the SES ASTRA 1P mission. This launch marked the ninth flight for the first-stage booster, which had previously supported missions including Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, and four Starlink deployments. Initially slated for Tuesday, the launch was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center.
